In 2004, the British tabloid Daily Mirror newspaper ran a feature on the appalling conditions at Skopje Zoo, sparking much concerned activity including an offer from the UK-based animal welfare and conservation charity Born Free Foundation, who offered to help improve conditions at the zoo and co-devise a more humane strategy. It fell on deaf ears, and the zoo continues to be a disgraceful embarrassment that does nothing good for Macedonia’s image whatsoever. Curious to see what the situation was for ourselves, Skopje In Your Pocket visited the zoo and can only confirm what others have said before them. If your idea of a good day out is peeking over fences at depressed lion cubs and deer wallowing in filthy mud then Skopje Zoo won’t disappoint. But, if like most sane people on the planet, you find zoos tasteless freak shows at the best of times you’d do well to steer clear of the place.
Admission 50den.
I visited the zoo this week and I am pleased to say every animal has a new enclosure. One or two of the old ones remain but are not used. They are doing a lot of work at the moment building new encloures for new animals and building new paths but I think in a couple of years it will be very nice.
In 2010 the Skopje Zoo underwent major developments. It is drastically different and is now a wonderful zoological experience. The animal conditions are greatly improved as well.
I visited in summer 2007 hoping to see all the misery (I'm a photographer so misery is often good). The zoo clearly still has some miserable animals but there is some major work underway with a large collection of new pens being built that will clearly be more roomy for the inmates.